Homes and farms in County Antrim where Oakmans are known to have lived were located near the village of Glenavy. The oldest home, located in Townland Ballydonaghy (pictured above), may have been where the Oakman family were living in the early 1700s.
The Freeholders' Records for 1776 list both a William Oakman and a Walter Oakman as Freeholders of land in Townland Ballydonaghy. Exactly where William and Walter were living is not yet known.
Listed below are some of the properties in Northern Ireland known to have been occupied by Oakmans. Follow the "read more" links to further details.
This cottage in Ballydonaghy Townland, Co Antrim, appears to be the oldest of all the Oakman homes. Estimated to be up to 300 years old, it may well have been the home of the Oakman family who were living in the area in the early 1700s. Once consisting of outhouses and offices, now only the cottage remains.
Oakmans are known to have been living in this house since before 1828. It is believed there was some marital connection between the Oakman and Clements families — Walter Oakman, who died here in 1828, may well have married one the daughters of William Clements who died at Clements Mount in 1818.
Darraghmore is a beautiful old farm — the old buildings now in ruins. A substantial residence and quite a number of outhouses and offices once stood amid beautiful oaks and lush green pastures. Known to be the home of an Oakman family from about 1800 (possibly even earlier).
The home and farm known as Pigeontown is a substantial property. The home of an Oakman family since before 1843, it was sold off in the 1890s. Named no doubt for the pigeons bred here, the property once boasted considerable pigeon houses. Pastures border Lough Neagh and were once used as for an annual horse race.
Located in Templecormac in Ballinderry, Ashvale has been the property of an Oakman family since the mid-1800s and possibly earlier. Also on the propety are the ruins of an old cottage and animal house.
William Oakman of Pigeontown purchased this house in the 1890s after selling Pigeontown. The house was once the Rectory of the local Church of Ireland. Still a grand home surrounded by beautiful gardens, descendants of William still live there today.
Situated on the opposite side of the road to Clements Mount short distance away towards Crumlin was the house, offices and land (#14) being leased by a William Oakman (senior) at the time of the Griffith's Valuation. This William was a son of William Oakman of Pigeontown, and grandson of Walter Oakman of Clements Mount. According to the valuation records, William was married, but no mention was made of his wife's name. William died in October 1867 and, according to PRONI VAL/12B/1/16B, the next occupant of this property was a Thomas Addis.
Another property (#78), located on the Moira Road between Glenavy Village and Crumlin, was owned by a John Oakman, according to the valuation records (PRONI VAL/12B/1/16A) and leased to a John Kirkpatrick. John Oakman remains the lessor until the late 1890s or early 1900s. The property consisted of house, offices and land of approximately 6 acres.
Neighbouring Clements Mount, were a house, offices and approximately 18 acres of land (#26) which, according to Townland Valuations Records of 1828-1840, were being leased by a William Davison and later changed to BJ (Benjamin?) Oakman. This is of particular interest in that Catherine Davison, her son William Oakman, and her daughters Catherine and Jane Davison, emigrated to New York in 1849. Catherine was listed on shipping records as "widow". It is quite feasible that William Davison was Catherine's second husband and the property may have reverted back to the Oakman family following his death, or following Catherine and her children's emigration to America. James Colburn was the lessee by the time of the Griffith's Valuation.
The 1828-1840 Townland Valuation Records list another property neighbouring both the above property and Clements Mount. This porperty (#27) consisted of house, offices and about 75 acres of land and also became the property of Benjamin Oakman sometime before 1840, and by the time of the Griffiths Valuation was being leased by a Thomas Houston.